Eight Wonderful Years

I know I'm a little behind on updating my blog, and I do have many things I would like to talk about, I just haven't really had time to sit and put it all down. I hope to do some updating soon. But I couldn't let this day pass without sitting down to write something.

Today, 8 years ago, Todd and I stood before our friends and family and God and made a commitment to a life together serving and loving God and loving each other through every good, bad and everything in between.

About a year ago I saw a news piece on marriage and the alarming study that more than half of married couples divorce in the seventh year of marriage, if not before. They related this trend to the fact that it takes about 7 years for our cells in our entire body to regenerate themselves. So, like our cells we change our likes, dislikes, interests after 7 years.

There is even actually a lady governmental figure in Canada that is trying to get passed into law that when a couple takes their vows they are good for 7 years. After that 7 years the couple would be free to go their separate ways or could recommit to 7 more years. Does this send a sick feeling through you as it did me when I saw it?

Shortly after Todd and I lost Karis our doctor who was so loving and caring informed us that when a couple experiences just a tragic loss in their lives only about 25-30% of those marriages stay together. That means 70-75% of marriages end in divorce.

This humbles me. Because as Todd and I have said many times throughout our lives and marriage, "but not for the grace of God, go I". That our being married for 8 years and "making it past the seventh year" and "making it through a tragic experience" is not because of anything we've done, but for God's grace in our lives and in our marriage.

We are both thankful and grateful for parents who have been married for 30 years and 40 years who have set examples of honoring the commitment they made to one another. But most of all we are thankful for God's grace in our marriage and we pray every day that He would continue to show grace in our marriage.

I have the privilege to be married to a man whom I love very much and is my best friend. He brings safety to our family in many ways; first in his walk with the Lord, by providing for our family, being our protector and being a loving, kind father to our children.

I can't wait to see how and where the Lord leads in the next year and for many more to come.

I love you my sweet man!

This beautiful arrangement is what Todd blessed me with today.